Franchise Manager, Scott Ringer, is puzzled by an inconsistency in Isabella Hallberg's application. He makes a phone call to Favel Health Products in Zurich. He then makes a number of calls, the last of which is to a business friend in Oslo. Finally, he drafts the following letter.

Read the letter. 

The Wendy RAe Body Care Center SKIN & HAIR CARE PREPARATIONS
Isabella Hallberg
The Wendy Rae Body Care Center
62 Kunsgatan
S-115 80 Stockholm
Sweden May 22, 19
Dear Mrs Hallberg:
FRANCHISE APPLICATIQN: Ms Margareta Tntz
Thank you for your letter of May 17, 19 , and the proposal that you enclosed.
As you point out in your letter, you have not yet completed two years as a Body Care head franchisee, or opened two or more stores. Both of these conditions are required before we can allow you to start sub-franchising. We do sometimes make exceptions, but as you have only recently been appointed head franchisee for Scandinavia we believe it would be in both your interest and ours if we played it by the book, in this case.
Everyone here is very impressed by your sales figures. Keep up the good work.
Yours truly,
Scott Ringer
203 WILLSHIRE BOULEYARO, SANTA.MONICA, CALIFORNIA 90403
TEL: + 1 900 976-4141 FAX: + 1 900 976-4I44

1. Notice:"To play it by the book" means to keep to the regulations.

2. Notice:The purpose of the letter is to refuse a request. The structure of the letter is as follows:

a) As you point out ..........b) Both of these conditions are required...

c) We do sometimes make exceptions d) I believe it would be in your/our interest

FILE THREE

Margareta Tntz asks Isabella Hallberg for $70 000. Two of Ms Tntz's premises are in urgent need of structural repairs. She requests the loan so that the work can begin, in order to make the building ready for shopfitting as soon as the franchise is awarded. Confident that the central management will make an exception in Ms Tntz's case, Isabella Hallberg agrees to the loan.

 When Isabella Hallberg receives Scott Ringer's letter turning down her application, she arranges a meeting with Margareta Tntz:

Hallberg I'm afraid my application was turned down.

Tntz Turned down! Why? What did they say?

Hallberg The letter didn't give reasons. It simply says that as I have only recently been appointed head franchisee, they want to play it by the book this time.

Tntz Well, what happens now?

HallbergI'm sorry, but I will have to ask you for the loan back.

Tntz That puts me in a very difficult position.

Hallberg Why is that? You can't have spent the money yet.

Tntz I haven't spent all of it. But I have signed contracts with the builders, and I had to pay twenty percent of the contract price on signing.

Hallberg I see... what is the contract price...?

Tntz $68 000...

Hallberg Well, you can pay back the balance.

Tntz It's not as simple as that, I'm afraid.

Hallberg I don't see why not. I lent you the money on the understanding that it would be spent on converting your premises into Body Care Centers. Since that is not possible now, I think that you must repay the money.

TntzYou have to consider my position. The fact is I'm now committed to this expenditure, and I accepted the commitment because you led me to believe that it was safe for me to do so.

HallbergSo, you're refusing to repay any of the money...

Tntz Believe me, I would gladly give you your money back, if I could. But I am not in a position to do so.

Hallberg And where does that leave me?

TntzQuite frankly, that is not my main concern right now. But, I can tell you this - I'm not going to be able to repay you unless I get that franchise. I suggest you contact Mr Ringer and persuade him to change his mind.

2. Which of these points were discussed at the meeting?Discussed üNot discussed û

a) Mrs Hallberg led Ms Tntz to believe that it would be safe to sign a contract with the builders.

b) Mrs Hallberg does not believe that Ms Tntz paid 20% of the contract price to the builders.

c) Ms Tntz would gladly repay the debt, but she is not in a position to do so.

d) Ms Tntz will repay the debt as soon as she can.

e) Ms Tntz will not be able to repay the debt, unless she gets the franchise.

f) Ms Tntz is going to contact Mr Ringer herself.

3. Notice:The word order after two-part verbs like 'turn down'.

Correct: the company turned down my application. Correct: the company turned my application down.

Pronouns  him, her, them etc must come after the first part of the verb.

Correct: the company turned it down. WRONG:the company turned down it.